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The Executive Board of the
BVRS (chairman Heinrich
Abletshauser, Reinhard
Kowalewski, Meinhard
Berger, Frank Rönnfeld,
Matthias Klenner) with
general manager Christoph
Silber-Bonz (from the right).
14 Associations
Its word carries weight, its voice
is heard, both in the trade audi-
ence and in politics. And a good
thing too. This is because, given
an environment that is changing
at an increasing speed in which
the R+S companies have to oper-
ate and face competition, a trade
association is indispensable that
performs a “pilot function”, rec-
ognises emerging trends at an
early stage and provides its mem-
bers with expert support in their
activities in an exciting, but chal-
lenging future, is indispensable.
Among other things, this purpose
is served through the provision of individual advice to association
members by specialist departments of the association as well as by
a wide range of seminars, specialist compendia, regular newsletters
and its own trade journal, which supply the companies continuously
with current information.
The BVRS plays a decisive role in helping to configure the regula-
tions under which the roller shutter and sun protection handicraft
operates.Whether national or European standards, technical guide-
lines or the grant criteria of the KfW Development Bank: the BVRS
experts make a contribution everywhere and in this way help to cre-
ate conditions suitable for competition in which the R+S specialist
companies can operate successfully.
The BVRS and the guilds linked to it also helped to develop and
gain recognition for the skills of the handicraft after the obligation to
qualify as a master lapsed over ten years ago. Newmarkets could be
obtained with a consistent quality strategy: sustainable energy-sav-
BVRS – Federal Association for Manufacturers
of Roller Shutters and Sun Protection
A few months before the R+T 2018 the Bundesverband Rollladen + Sonnenschutz (BVRS - National
Association of Roller Shutters + Sun Protection), the association of about 700 specialist companies
of the roller shutter and sun protection industry and one of the sponsor associations of the R+T,
can draw up a very positive balance sheet on its work.
ing, improved security of homes and increasing living comfort for all
generations through automation.
An important course was set for the future of the entire industry with
the reorganisation procedure that was successfully concluded at the
beginning of the current training year for the training profession
“roller shutter and sun protection mechatronic”with the so-called
“extended journeyman examination”and its own examination sub-
ject“drive and control technology.”This further development of the
profession made a decisive contribution to modernising the training
in the R+S handicraft and thus also positioning it as an attractive al-
ternative to studying.
The BVRS supports its member companies with its comprehensive
publicity work. This includes continuous professional press work as
well as a modern Internet presentation, tailored to the different tar-
get groups and the annual roller shutter and sun protection confer-
ence.
At the same time, the R+S handicraft is operating in a very positive
economic environment: low interest rates, high purchasing power
and a strong tendency to increasing value of real property - all of this
results in record figures for turnover, employment and readiness to
invest among the companies. The ground could not be better pre-
pared for the R+T.
But highs can be followed by lows. The industry, and with it the
BVRS, also have to be prepared for these. It is necessary to keep de-
velopments in view at all times, but at the same time also always
keep the association structures and comprehensive range of services
for the member companies under review. Just like all the other ex-
hibitors at the R+T, the BVRS is constantly involved in developing
new ideas to become even better in representing the interests of its
members even more efficiently.This is part of its duty as sponsor as-
sociation of such an innovative trade fair like the R+T.
BVRS
The first documented origins of the association can be
found in the post-war year 1947, but its actual origins
are probably in the 1920s. After the ViS, as the Verband
innenliegender Sicht- und Sonnenschutz (Association
for Interior Privacy and Sun Shades) is known for short,
had in recent decades developed its capabilities primarily
in the fields of technology and marketing, it was able to
greatly expand its range as an association with the move
of its office toWuppertal in 2013.
Thanks to its cooperation with the office of the Verband der
Deutschen Heimtextilien-Industrie (Association of German Home
Textile Industries), ViS members had access to the personnel and
technical resources of qualified legal, commercial and engineering
staff. Industry-relevant subjects are processed and industry
standards developed in various project groups. When it comes to
child safety, the ViS for example provided the entire industry with
information on the new provisions of DIN EN 13120 and made a
considerable contribution to making it possible to implement the
ViS – Association of Interior Privacy
and Sun Shades
subject in a legally viable manner in industry, trade and handicraft
with information sheets, forms and expert opinions. The work of
other project groups deals with product characteristics, performance
categories or statistics.
In addition, the ViS represents the interests of its members in
the field of standardisation at the national and European level. It
cultivates interaction with other industry associations and partners,
such as important trade fair companies in Frankfurt, Stuttgart or
Cologne. Strategic approaches are established for communication at
the European level in the network of related associations, especially
in relation to the European sun protection association ES-SO.
In addition, theViS draws up statistics on the sales and turnover of
its association members. Since 2016 the survey has also been carried
out in extended product ranges that also cover new products, such
as cellular pleated blinds or double roller blinds. Moreover, the sur-
vey interval was reduced from semi-annual to quarterly, rendering it
more informative.